The Next Chapter

 I'm sitting on the sideline, supporting Danny as he deals with the unfolding story of his Dad. After his dad fell at Sams' Club in June he fell again in the apartment parking lot where he lives. This time he was looking up at the jets and lost his balance. He wasn't so lucky with this fall as he was on the first one. He got cuts and bruises all over the place including a 3' gash next to his eye. Needless to say, we spent another afternoon at the ER. That's when we found out he had fluid leaking in his brain from the falls.

He was doing pretty good for a while, riding his new scooter over to the house clinic to have his bandages changed every few days, riding down to the dining hall for meals, working on his computer. Then one day he went to the clinic, seeing a nurse who hadn't seen him for a long time. When she saw his bruises she assumed he'd fallen again the night before. That wasn't true; these were old bruises. BUT he was drifting off to sleep while talking with her. So she sent him to the hospital again for evaluation. Unbeknownst to her it was the Stage 4 Kidney disease and lack of protein in his diet that was causing the drowsiness and extreme swelling in his lower limbs.

This time when he got out of the hospital (on his 99th birthday, no less) he had to go to rehab, which was another building in his home complex.We didn't know then that there would be a rapid deterioration of his abilities. He got it in his head that he wanted to move back to Colorado (he'd lived there over 25 years before moving to Virginia again with his wife who had Alzheimer so she could be with her sister who had Alzheimer). He bought a one-way ticket for the end of August, not realizing that although the airlines will push him through the airports he would still have to be able to stand on his own to sit in the airplane seat. He can't do that! That's what therapy was for - to help strengthen his legs so he could walk again.

Instead of focusing on his therapy he was focused on his phone, calling the sales department at the Community he lived in to see about selling his apartment. He called the movers to get an estimate on moving his small household all the way to Colorado. He called the independent living place he had previously lived in before coming to Virginia. He was blowing up phones across the nation to the point that a complete stranger at the independent living place told Danny he was sorry Danny had to go through this and jokingly said he'd heard there were some places in Wyoming that had no phone reception!

Yes, Danny was spending all his time countering all his dad's plans, calling everyone from the airlines on down to making doctor appointments he couldn't keep because he couldn't get there, his investment firm, and banks. Luckily, by now the health evaluations had determined his dad was not able to make financial or medical decisions. His dad had assigned power of attorney to Danny a long time ago, so with copies of everything pertinent he's gone about trying to keep his dad safe and secure through his last days. They have now given his dad less than 6 months due to the disease. With his memory shot even if everything is repeated umpteen times he doesn't remember. It's all just so sad.

Danny has stepped up and done everything a son should do. His dad's belligerence and determination has made everything so much harder than it needed to be. This week we just learned his dad called the eye doctor and made an appointment, even though he can't leave the facility. And right after Danny got home, we were called yesterday afternoon to come in, that his dad was unresponsive. We didn't know what to expect, but 10 minutes before we arrived he opened his eyes and started talking again. If he's able I'm sure he will be on the phone again today! That is one feisty guy!

We covet your prayers for our family as we navigate these uncharted waters! Thanks!